Truss for barns



A. A. GILMORE.

TRUSS FOR BARNS.

APPLICATIONYHLED mm. l6rl9l1.

1,369,421. Patented Feb.22,1921.

ilrzx WITNESSES z 4 ATI'C v vY UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

ALFRED ANDREW GILMORE, OF PRESTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE METAL SHINGLE AND SIDING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF PRESTON, ONTARIO,

CANADA.

,rnoss FOR Beans.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patent d F b 22 192 Application filed March 16, 1917. Serial No. 155,270.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED ANDREW GIL- MORE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Preston, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented a newand useful Truss for Barns, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved truss for use in barn construction, and has particular reference to certain here'- inafter pointed out improvements in the structure and mounting of the truss disclosed in the United States Patent, No. 1,079,040, granted Cyrus Dolph, November 18, 1913.

'This Dolph patent discloses a truss for supporting and reinforcing the sides and roofs of barns. The Dolph truss is of such construction, and is so peculiarly mounted in the barn, that it is necessary to provide a special truss for each different size of barn.

The object of this invention is to provide a truss possessing all of the advantagesof this Dolph truss, and which in addition thereto may be used as a standard truss for application to barns varying in size within a wide range.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be brought out in the following specific disclosure of the present preferred embodiment of the invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through one side of the, frame of a barn, showing a truss secured in position according to this invention, and showing a barn of relatively large size.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the upper end of the roof of a learn of smaller dimensions than the structure of Fig. 1, showing the truss secured to the roof by the device of this invention, and showing the truss projecting above the lower edge of the upper rafter.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing another adjustment of the truss upon a slightly larger barn than Fig. 2, and showing the up- .reference throughout the several views, and

referring particularly to Fig. 1, 10 designates a cross sill supporting the flooring 11 in the usual manner. At one side of the barn, a side post 12 is placed having on top thereof the usual wall cap 13, and from the wall cap rises the lower rafter 14, which supports at its upper end the upper rafter 15. These rafters, or rafter sections, form the frame of the roof and carry the bars 16 upon which the roof 17 is directly secured.

For the purpose of reinforcing and supporting the post 12 and the rafters 14 and 15, a truss is provided. This truss comprises a main truss member 18 made of angle iron, and of the cross section shown in Fig. 5, and extending from the lower end of the side post 12 upwardly to a position adjacent to the point of juncture of the lower and upper rafters 14 and 15. The present invention provides a main truss member 18 of a uniorm length for barns which differ in size,

so that in applying the truss to a large barn, the member 18 terminates at a point below the juncture of the rafters-14: and 15, while in small barn constructions the main truss member 18 extends above the juncture of the rafters 14 and 15, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. j r

The lower end of the main truss member 18 is anchored to the post 12 and the sill 10 by means of a corner plate 19 preferably in the form of a vertical web having lateral flanges'resting against the inner side of the post 12 and against the floor 11. These flanges are secured to the post and the sill by bolts, or the like, as indicated in Fig. 1.

A brace 20 is secured to the sill 10 by an attaching plate 21, which latteris fastened to the Slll 10 at a point spaced inwardly from the post 12. The brace 20 extends upwardly and outwardly, and is secured to an intermediate attaching plate 22 which is fixed upon the main truss member 18 at a main truss member 18, and is secured to the inner end of a strut 23. The strut 23 extends upwardly and outwardly at a slight inclination, and is secured to an outer attaching plate 24 secured to the upper end of the lpost 12 and against the inner side of the wa 1 cap 13. The back of the truss comprises an upper inclined brace 25 which has its lower end secured to the outer attaching plate 24, and which extends upwardly at the inner side of the roof and is inclined toward the upper extremity of'the main truss member v18. A connecting plate 26 joins the upper ends of the inclined brace 25 and the main truss member 18, so as to rigidly hold the same together and transmit stress placed upon the upper brace member 15 to the main truss member.

According to this invention, the meeting ends of the upper and lower rafters 15 and '14 are braced or secured'together by a reinforcement, the same being disclosed in the present instance, asin the form of a sub- 'stantially triangul'arly shaped block 27 to take the place of the urlin usually employed at such juncture. his connection or reinforcement of the rafter sections forms the sections into practically a continuous rafter,

and the engagement of the truss member at or near its upper end with the rafter, either below or above the reinforcement 27, braces and supports the roof.

. In Fig. 1, a relatively large barn construction is shown. In this instance, the upper end of the truss terminates below the reinforcement 27. To apply the truss to this large barn, an adjustable purlin 29, disclosed in the present instance as composed of three strips or-boards arranged in superposed relation, is secured across the lower rafter 14 in spaced relation from the lower end'of the reinforcing block 27, and in this instance, opposite to the upper extremity of the truss. The purlin is secured in such .position to the rafter 14 by any suitable means, such as the spikes shown. he lower edge of the purlin bears flat agalnst the outer web s or flanges of the upper inclined brace 25 which extends parallel to the adjacent rafter 14, and is secured to the brace by means of .a clasp 30. The clasp 30 in the present instance is shown in the form of a pair of substantially U-shaped laterally spaced apart clips having threaded extremities. These U-shaped clips are engaged over the purlin 29, and the threaded ends of the clips are passed downwardly through the adjacent registering pairs of openings 31 formed through 'the outturned flanges or webs of the brace 25.

The clips are held in place by nuts 28,

or the like, threaded upon the ends of the clips 30, and binding against the lower or inner faces of the webs to draw the clips downwardly about the purlin 29. This clasp secures the upper end of the truss to the purlin and thus supports and reinforces the roof.

If, as shown,in Fig. 2, the structure of the barn is such that the reinforcing block 27 is located below'the upper end of the.

truss, the purlin 29 is adjusted along the rafter 14 to a sufficient extent to engage the upper brace 25 of the truss, and at the same time space the upper extremity of the truss from the roof 17. A relatively small sized roof construction is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the upper end of the truss extends between the rafter. The purlin 29 is so positioned that it transmits the pressure of the roof from the rafter to the back of the truss, and is the only pressure transmitting connection brace than that shown in Fig. 2. The clasp 30 is accordingly adjusted longitudinally upon the brace 25 toward the upper endthereof and secured in such position. It will be noted that the upper end of the truss does not extend as far upwardly between the rafters as in the smaller construction of Fig. 2. This apparently slight difference in adjustment accommodates the truss tov barns varying several feet in width.

In Fig. 4, a still further enlargedroof structure is sh.own. In this instance, the purlin 29 is located at the lower end'o'f the reinforcing block 27. The upper inclined brace 25, however, engages the lower' side or edge of the purlin 29 at a point still nearer the upper end of the truss.- The clasp 30 is adjusted along the brace 25 for engagement over the adjustedpurlin.

It is thus seen that the truss may be'made of one size or height, so as to provide a standard truss, and that this truss, by'the adjustment of the purlin 29, and the adjustment of the clasp 30, may be incorporated in barn structures which vary in size within a relatively wide range. It is readily seen from. Fig. 1 that asthe reinforcing block ture of the rafter sections, without weakening the roof structure. The upper inclined brace 25 has in the upwardly facing webs or flanges thereof, registering pairs of openmgs 31 arranged in sets spaced apart to correspond to dilferent adjustments of the clasp 30 necessary to apply the truss to barn constructions of different sizes.

It is usual to build barns of from 30 to 50 feet wide. The truss may be constructed of a certain standard size corresponding to medium sized barns. By the adjustment of the clasp 30 and the adjustment of the purlin 29, this standard truss may be easily adapted to barns of smaller size, or of larger size according to the requirements, and without the necessity of making a truss of special size for each size or width of barn.

What is claimed is 1. In barn construction employing lower and upper rafters, means for holding-the same together, means running crosswise of the lower rafters and secured to each of said lower rafters, and a supporting structure comprising a main truss and upper and lower braces, the second named means being securable at desired points along said upper braces.

2. In barn construction employing lower and upper rafters, means secured to each pair of lower and upper rafters to unify said rafters, each of said means being independent of all the others, means running crosswise of the lower rafters and secured to each of said lower rafters, and a supporting structure comprising a main truss and upper and lower braces, the second-named means being securable at desired points along said upper braces below the first named means.

3. In barn construction employing lower and upper rafters, means secured to each pair of upper and lower rafters for holding the same together, purlins running cross- 7 wise of the lower rafters and secured to each of said rafters below said means, and a supporting structure comprising a main truss and upper and lower braces, said purlins being adjustably secured at desired points along said upper braces and the lower rafters.

4:. In barn construction employing upper and lower rafters, means secured to each pair of upper and lower rafters to unify said rafters, each of said means being independent of all the others, purlins running crosswise of the lower rafters and secured to each of said rafters below said means, and a supporting structure comprising a main truss and upper and lower braces, said purlins being adjustably secured. at desired points along said upper braces and lower rafters.

5. In barn construction employing upper and lower rafters, blocks secured to the ends of each pair of lower and upper rafters to form substantially a continuous rafter, purlins running crosswise of the lower rafters and secured to each of said rafters below and close to said blocks, and a supporting structure comprising a main truss and upper and lower braces, said upper braces being provided with a series of spaced openings, and clips engageable with said openings, and with said purlins whereby the purlins are adj ustably secured at desired points along said upper braces.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED ANDREW GILMORE.

Witnesses: v

CLARA B. Hnrsn, FLORENCE MIoKUs. 

